SUPPORTING THE NEXUS
LISA PHILLIPS DAVIS '76
Lisa Phillips Davis ’76 thinks there is “Barnard DNA” in young women who come to the College and know it’s the perfect place for them. “That DNA is fully activated by the Barnard environment and stays active forever,” she says. Because Davis was a scholarship recipient, she is keenly aware that without the necessary financial support, she could never have benefited from Barnard’s extraordinary environment.
“If I hadn’t attended Barnard, I would have approached life in a different way,” she says. “Because of Barnard, I’m confident in my abilities and I strive to make a difference. I always feel I should be stepping up to the plate and taking a leadership role.”
Another obligation she feels is to “give back and give the next generation the opportunity I was given.” These days she is earnestly giving back to her alma mater by serving as president of the Alumnae Association and as an alumna trustee, by donating money for the Nexus, and by spreading the word about the decisive role the Nexus will play in Barnard’s future.
“In so many ways, Barnard is at the top of its game — it’s amazing to me what we’re able to do despite the constraints of our small campus and relatively small endowment. We’ve done things well in excess of what others would do given a similar physical plant. But now we’ll be able to do everything so much better. Finally we’ll have a facility that matches Barnard’s excellence in academics, extracurricular programs and special events. For example, when we have large events or lectures, our speakers will no longer be plagued by acoustical issues, and the timing of events will no longer be restricted because a major program space has to double as a cafeteria. Everyone onstage and in the audience will have a much better experience.”
This spring, aside from the Nexus ground-breaking, the most important event on Davis’s Barnard calendar is her daughter Rebecca’s graduation. “She just made Phi Beta Kappa, she has an incredible passion for learning, and the power of the experiences she’s had here will be with her forever,” Davis says. “My daughter definitely has Barnard DNA."
— by Anne Schutzberger